I don't have a 302 or plan on rebuilding one until I start on my 2 door...but... I asked around locally to get prices on machining the block and heads for me, to get an idea for the future. The cheapest price was $800. . That's just to deck the block and mill the heads down flat, bore the cylinder walls, and do a 3 angle valve job. Oh and replace the freeze plugs. A little high IMO, and I'll be doing the head rebuilding and be putting the bottom end back together myself. Does anyone else think this is high or is this the going rate nowadays?
tHAT'S HIGH FOR OUR AREA. WVA. iT COST ME 75 FOR COCKING THE BLOCK AN INSTALLING THE CAM BEARINGS. VALVE JOB ON THE HEADS WERE 160. EACH, i WOULD CHECK AROUND MORE AND ASK OTHERS AT THE RACE TRACK.
haha. I mean I didn't think it would run anything near that. I can see them charging $800-900 by also replacing my cam bearings and possibly putting in new valves and backcutting them as well and perhaps pressing the pistons in for me but no thats extra as well, and probably much extra. :16suspect I'm going to go to Richmond and Lexington (towns around me) and hopefully find some better prices.
Milling a head is expensive over here about $160 for a set. Valve job is $300. Boring is $20 per cylinder so $160. Freeze plugs is $40. Decking starts at $140. I would imagine it would be way cheaper in Kentucky. But your getting Cali prices
I had my 87 H.O. bored, all new bearings, pistons, rings, re-build e7 heads completely. $1350 out the door. and they put it all back together and painted it. Fayetteville Motor exchange
Well I just talked to a buddy of mine who is big into drag racing. I asked him where he goes for his motor builds, and might have a lead to a reasonable machinist. I really just want to have the engine machined because I do like building and fooling around with motors the most as that's where I'm most educated. Yeah I wouldn't mind $1300 for a motor built and ready to drop in, haha. Unfortunately I'm sure I would be charged $2500+ around here .
At the shop I work at in California the breakdown goes $30 per cyl to bore and hone $240 total plus $59 to hot tank it, $250 for 3 angle valve job for a pair of v8 heads includes teardown magging and reassembly doesnt include if it needs any guide work or hardened seats or if any of the valve or springs need to be replaced, $45 a head for resurface, $120 resurface both banks of the block, and freeze plugs maybe $30 or $40, that would be $760 for the work you priced. But I would recommend you dont resurface the block unless its neccesary, I probably only surface about 15% of blocks that come through the shop because most of the time it doesnt need it. also if you heads are early heads they will need hardened seats and likely guide work thats where the heads can get pretty pricey probably about $200 for seats and we charge $10 per guide for labor plus the part so you could be looking at $750 or more (especially if you need valve or springs) just on the heads and you could get a set of aftermarket heads for a little more. I would also recommend changing the cam bearings I think we charge $49 plus parts
Also keep in mind you get what you pay for, I cant tell you how many times I have had people bring in jobs that were just rebuilt and were done using poor machining processes I.E. some places use a special belt sander to resurface heads, really does not work well, and bronze liners not guides but a thin sleeve they tend to wear out and sometimes even fall out.
I gotta agree with that, you do get what you pay for. I guess these prices were in the ballpark, I'm still going to shop around for a machinist
I paid around $600 to have the block dipped, bored .030 over, freeze plugs, cam bearings, valve job, and pistons hung on the rods. I supplied all of the parts.
